


The Perfect Present

by SchizoidFreak



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, F/M, Post-Reaper War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 04:47:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13228395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SchizoidFreak/pseuds/SchizoidFreak
Summary: Shepard doesn't know what to get Kaidan for Christmas.





	The Perfect Present

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ilyasviel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilyasviel/gifts).



> Written for Ilyasviel, as a Secret Santa MEWC gift exchange. Happy New Year, lovely, I hope you like it :)

Shepard was feeling her grumpiest. Christmas was five days away, and she still had nothing for Kaidan. It didn’t help that she knew he had something amazing for her, as usual. It was their third Christmas together after the War, and he had spoiled her like crazy every time.

Their first Christmas, Kaidan had gotten her concert tickets to her favorite band and the most beautiful engagement ring she could have hoped for. She had gotten him a pair of hiking boots.

Their second Christmas, he had gotten her tickets to a cruise from Vancouver to Alaska, on Earth; a surprise party with all of their friends, on the Citadel, and a pair of diamond studded earrings she absolutely loved. She had gotten him a new omni-tool.

This year, Shepard was determined to get him something that was going to wow him off his feet. Not that he had ever complained. He had always been very excited about his gifts and had thanked her as if she had just given him the best present ever. But she always felt that her gifts never compared to his. She had even mentioned it to him one time; he had simply laughed and said it wasn’t a competition. But Shepard was a competitive person, and the fact that her then fiancé, now husband always spoiled her rotten while she always gave him rotten gifts did not sit well with her. For once, just once, she wanted to truly impress him. And this year she was going to, if it was the last thing she did.

The problem was she still wasn’t inspired. She had hoped to give him the gift of fatherhood, but Mother Nature had had other plans. So now she was stuck. For the life of her, she could not think of anything that would express how much she loved him and wanted to spoil _him_ , for a change.

Shepard sighed. She was sitting at her desk in their home, while Kaidan was outside chopping wood. She loved how romantic he always was; he had insisted on making a fire every night this winter, just because he wanted to snuggle and mostly because he knew she hated the cold.

“Face it, Shep,” she muttered to herself, “you need help. Desperately.”

She hadn’t wanted to, because she wanted Kaidan’s present to come only from her, but she knew it was time to call on her friends. Maybe one of them would have the one brilliant idea that was eluding her.

Shepard got up and went to the window to make sure that Kaidan was still busy outside, and she turned on her omni-tool. A few beats later, Tali’s voice was heard.

“Hi, Shepard, what’s up?” said the Quarian cheerfully.

“Hi, Tali. I hope I’m not disturbing you?”

“Not at all! Garrus and I just finished our meal.”

Shepard bid her time while exchanging pleasantries with her friend, and then she jumped straight to the point. “Tali, the reason I’m calling is because I’m hoping you can help me decide on a present for Kaidan.”

“Oh, is it his birthday already?” exclaimed the young Quarian.

“No, no, it’s Christmas, and I have no idea what to get for him.”

“Oooh,” cooed her friend, “Christmas! I wish we had a similar holiday! Well, let’s see… You could get him a new omni-tool.”

“No, that was last year’s present. I need something more impressive.”

There was a moment of silence.

“More… impressive, Shepard?” asked Tali, uncertain.

“Yes, I’m looking for something that will really knock his socks off!”

“Knock… his socks… off? Um… hmm… Garrus is suggesting a new gun.”

Shepard stopped the groan from escaping her lips just in time. It didn’t look like she was going to get much help here.

“No,” she sighed, “I can get him a new gun any time. I want something special for Christmas.”

“Well, give me some time to think about this,” Tali offered, and Shepard could hear the smile in her voice. “But, Shepard, you know him best. I think you’re the best person to know what to get him.”

Shepard blinked. “Thanks, Tali. I’ll think about it too, but if you get any ideas, please send them my way, ok?”

The two friends said their good-byes, and Shepard racked her brain to decide whom else she could call. She didn’t want to call Vega; the younger man would probably have no idea either, and he would almost certainly tease her about her predicament. She could call… no, that would mean even worse teasing. But there was still better chances with him than there were with Vega… So Shepard resigned herself and dialed Joker.

The Alliance pilot answered almost immediately. “Hey, Shepard, what can I do for you?”

“Hey, Joker.” Shepard took a deep breath and forged ahead. “I have a favor to ask, but first I need your word that there will be no teasing.”

“Uh oh, you know that only makes me want to tease you even more,” snickered the younger man.

“I’m serious, Joker,” scowled Shepard. “No teasing, or I’m hanging up right now.”

“Ok, ok, no teasing.” Shepard could picture him raising his hands in a gesture of surrender, but his amused tone did nothing to reassure her.

“All right.” She didn’t have a choice, did she? “I need an idea of what to get Kaidan for Christmas.”

Complete silence. Shepard wondered briefly if he was preparing the mother of all snarky comments when he finally spoke.

“You don’t know what to get Kaidan for Christmas?”

He sounded so surprised that she felt immediately defensive. “No, I have no idea what to give to the man who spoils me so much all year round that my presents always seem ridiculously insignificant. I really need help here, Joker, not a lesson about how I should know better than anyone else...”

“Hey, hey, easy, Shepard,” interrupted her friend. “No need to bring out the heavy artillery.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose and breathed slowly. “Sorry. I’m sorry. Christmas is only a few days away, and I’m just very frustrated.”

“Yeah, I can tell.”

“But can you help me or not?”

Another moment of silence. Shepard worried again that he was just rounding up for a session of endless mockery. Then the pilot surprised her. “Well… what did you give him last year?”

She dared to hope.

“A new omni-tool,” she answered sheepishly.

He gave a noncommittal grunt. She waited while he gathered his thoughts. Finally, he asked, “I guess the question is, besides being a badass biotic Marine, what is the one thing Alenko is really good at?”

Shepard hesitated. What was Kaidan good at? What did that have to do with a Christmas present? Kaidan was good at so many things! He was a true tech nerd and a pro at his tech nerdery. Despite being retired, he still enjoyed going to Alliance HQ to teach the next generation of biotic marines. He was an amazing cook. Shepard smiled as she thought to herself that he was particularly good at taking care of her…

Suddenly, an idea came to her. “Joker!” she practically shrieked.

“What, what? What did I do?” he said, startled.

“You’re a genius!” Shepard laughed.

“Yeah, so I’ve been told,” he snorted.

“Don’t get cocky now,” she teased.

He laughed. “Ok, I guess that means you don’t need my help anymore.”

“Nope. But thanks, though,” she added with a warm smile. “You did help a great deal.”

“I better be the first person to know what the gift is, ok? After Kaidan, of course.”

“You will,” Shepard promised.

They hung up, and Shepard set about acquiring the perfect present for Kaidan.

On Christmas morning, Shepard woke up before her alarm and turned towards her husband. It wasn’t even day yet, but her excitement – and nervousness – gave her a slight adrenaline rush that kept her from sleep. Kaidan was still asleep. Shepard took a moment to appreciate his beautiful, peaceful features. She almost felt bad for waking him, but she had her reasons. His present could absolutely not be left alone too long.

She reached slowly for his face, gently placing her hand on his cheek. Still asleep, he leaned into her touch. Then his eyes began to open, and they focused on hers.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he whispered, a small smile stretching his lips. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you, handsome,” she replied, beaming. “Come on, time for presents.”

“Mmm, I was hoping to wait a little longer,” he mumbled as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

She dropped a kiss on his nose. “Nope, it’s time to get up. Come on, I’ll make you pancakes, with maple syrup.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Shepard,” Kaidan chuckled.

He sat up slowly and yawned. “You sure I can’t interest you in a lazy morning of sleeping in?”

Shepard got out of bed and grinned as she pulled her robe around herself. “And delay the pleasure of opening my fantastic present? Not a chance, mister!”

Oddly enough, Kaidan rubbed the back of his neck in that tell-tale gesture indicative of embarrassment or awkwardness. But what did he have to be embarrassed or awkward about? The impression was gone quickly as he got up as well and looked around for his shirt.

“Hurry up!”

Kaidan laughed. “Ok, ok! Gee, someone’s impatient.”

They good-naturedly made their way downstairs, holding hands, Kaidan kissing her palm a couple of times. They reached the Christmas tree. Shepard had to let go of Kaidan’s hand so she wouldn’t sweat in it. What if he didn’t like her present?

“Ok,” he said as he sat down on the floor, “let’s see... Here, this one is for you from my mother.”

They each opened a few presents until finally Shepard could no longer take it.

“Now it’s my turn,” she said. “I’m getting my present to you.”

“You’re ‘getting’ it?” he asked, perplexed.

“Close your eyes, Alenko, and no peeking.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am,” he chuckled.

Shepard made sure he had indeed closed his eyes and went to the kitchen, which had its door unusually closed. Thankfully Kaidan hadn’t noticed. She opened the door very slowly and squatted immediately to block the ball of fur that jumped out.

“Shh, shh,” she whispered to the over-excited puppy. “I got you, and now we’re taking you to daddy.”

“Shepard?” Kaidan called from the other room.

“Coming!” she answered.

She made sure the puppy’s leash was tightly secured to his collar, and she led him to the living room. The puppy’s tail was wagging furiously, and if he hadn’t been on a leash, he would’ve run to Kaidan prematurely; but Shepard was timing her surprise. She wondered how much trouble this new addition to their family was going to be.

She brought the puppy as close as she could to her husband. Kaidan was frowning and cocking his head to the side, no doubt nonplussed at the unexpected noises. Then she unleashed the puppy who hurled himself at Kaidan, licking and whimpering and tail still wagging.

“What the...”

Kaidan fell backwards as the Bernese Mountain puppy barreled into him and licked his face. He laughed and buried his hands in the fur, happily petting the excited pup.

“Shepard? This is my present?”

Shepard was standing a few feet from them, still unsure of her choice.

“Yeah,” she answered, blushing. “I hope you like him.”

“Like him? I love him, oh my God! How could you not? Look at that adorable face!”

Shepard finally laughed, as the weight of uncertainty lifted from her shoulders. That, and the scene in front of her was so precious that she wished she had her omni-tool nearby to take a picture. Kaidan was on his back, laughing, and the puppy had his two front paws on his chest and was eagerly licking his face.

She walked over and sat down on the floor next to them so she could pet the puppy, too.

“Now my present!” she said.

Kaidan sat up, pushing the pup away gently, and looked at her, sheepish. “Um.”

“Come on, my turn!”

He blushed and fished a small package from the pile still under the tree. He rubbed the back of his neck again, at the same time trying to fend off the licking attacks of his new puppy.

“We can exchange it,” he said before she even opened it.

“What? No, why would you say...”

Shepard unwrapped the present. To her utter surprise and disbelief, the package contained a single pair of socks. She blinked and looked at Kaidan who blushed even more.

“I don’t understand,” she said. “You got me socks?”

“Well, you were feeling so bad that my presents were supposedly better than yours… I just thought I’d get you something simple so that you could have the ‘better’ present this year… But the whole idea made much more sense in my head, I’m sorry, Shepard.”

Kaidan looked so uncomfortable and crestfallen that Shepard’s heart melted. She crawled over to give him a long, lingering kiss. When she sat back, he blinked and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Wow,” he said, “and here I was worried that you’d be mad at me.”

“How could I be mad at you when you’ve just given me the most thoughtful present ever?”

Kaidan snorted. “No need to rub it in, I know it’s bad.”

“I don’t care about the socks, silly. In this case, it really is the thought that counts, and I’m the luckiest woman alive to have the most considerate man as my husband,” Shepard explained, beaming. “Your thoughtfulness is the perfect present.”

He just shook his head, but grabbed her hand and pulled her in for another loving kiss.

“Kaidan?” she mumbled against his lips a moment later.

“Mmm?”

“Your puppy is peeing on the tree.”

 


End file.
